The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-07-02
A Desperate Lunatic.

The Princess Anne, Somerset county, Nd,
Herald, of Tuesday last says:
On Tuesday last John Dashiell, colored, OF
Deals Island, was brought to this town and a
iury de lunatico inquirendo held over him.
He was adiudged lunatic and an order was
issued for him to be taken to the Maryland
Hospital for the Insane. Dashiell was placed
in the county Jail for safe keeping until the
sheriff was ready to take him to baltimore.
Soon after being put in Jail, Dashiell com.
menced work of destruction, and in short
time everything breakable in his cell was de-
stroyed-in a few minutes the stove was IN a
hundred pieces, the window panes and sash
were totally demolished, and a s. lock to the
cell was a wreck Sheriff Miles did not intend
to take the lunatic away until "Wednesday,
but he was so desperate that it was thought
best to proceed with him as early as possible;
so on Tuesday afternoon, about train time, the
sheriff and his deputy, j. (. Slemons, and
others, went to the jail to get him; they
found him armed with a stout bar OF iron
two feet long and ready and willing to strike
down any one who should enter his room.
He had taken the inner door (which is bat
ten door, off the hinges and carried 1t 10 one
corner of the room, and the lock to the grated
door of the cell had been disabled so it would
not work. The sheriff and his men took a
look at the maniac through the grated door,
and he made it exceedingly lively for them
by hurting pieces of broken stove through the
CRATES. VIM. T. Fleming was struck with
piece of iron and dropped on his hands and
knees and retired without further delay.
Owing to the fact that the man was perfectly
wild and very vicious, it was thought advlsa-
Bile to let him stay in Jail until next day, when
it was believed he would be comparatively
- w L Nha nftl arc
again visited Dashiell and found him still q
raving maniac. He neither could be induced OF
persuaded to give up his piece Of iron, and it
was finally agreed BY the officers and few
muscular assistants to enter the cell and take
the consequences. Deputy Sheriff >. Il.
Slemons and Samuel Kennerly, of Crisfield,
entered the room side by side, followed by
Sheriff Miles and others. The maniac aimed
deadly blow at Mr.. Slemons with the bar oil
iron clutehed in his hand, but ut the same
time Mr.. Kennery and Mr.. Miles struck him
with clubs on top and underneath the ARM
and the bar flew out of his hand, and the
posse rushed in on him and seized him, when
fearful struggle commenced. One Samuel
Blake, colored man who is in Jail under an
Indictment for violating the local option law,
rendered good service during the struggle by
rushing in front of Dashiell and snatching
his feet from under him. He fell to the floor
with heavy thud, when he was soon secure:
" ironed Mr.. Slemons took him to Crisfield
BY the last train on Wednesday evening and
from thence to Baltimore. On the route
from Crisfield to Baltimore he became very
turbulent again. He was roned, both hands
and feet, elbows pinioned and then placed in
the forward cabin by himself. Sometime be-
tween midnight and daylight on Thursday
morning he managed to get the rope united
that connected the hand cuffs with the foot
locks, and was discovered trying to come out
of the cabin. The irons, however, were still
on him. He had secured small stick about
two feet long, and when Mr.. Slemons came
to the entrance of the cabin aud ordered him
back he gritted his teeth in rage and invited
the officer down. Mr.. Slemons watched his
chance and rushed up behind him, when d
lively struggle followed. Several of the EN-
ployees of the boat helped the officer, ant
the lunatic was soon on the floor and secure
" bound again. During the struggle the ma
MAC reached backward over his shoulder ano
struck Mr.. Slemons several times over the
head with the stick he had found in the cabin
and gave the officer sore head. He finally
got him to the hospital all right. This is the
second time Dashiell has been in the insane
asylum. He is % years of age and weigh!
$50 pounds, and giant in strength.